RKChallenge December 2010
by RK.Challenge
Summary: This month, we decided to go a different way. This time there is an all you can write contest! Read, review and Join us in the LiveJournal community!
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own RK nor the entries in this story.

* * *

**A WRITING FRENZY!**

Yes, write as many as you want and/or as many as you can. This time winners will be selected depending on the number of entries. The one who submits the most entries will win and so on! For the others, don't worry, there is going to be a participation banner also :)

**RULES:**  
Every entry must have a minimum of 100 words, and there are n maximums, as long as you wish to make it :)  
**  
****THEMES:**  
You may select between these themes:

-peace  
-gift  
-giving  
-snow  
-cake  
-lights  
-decorations  
-hope  
-holiday  
-santa claus

* * *

**Come and join us!**

**AND**

**Merry Christmas!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Dec2010- Giving**_

**Title: Under a pleasant sky  
Author: JeniNeji**  
Frenzy: giving  
Rating: T  
Summary: The inn work just began

* * *

Kaoru folded the clean sheets carefully. Her blue eyes inspected her actions with a deadly eye, after all, her kendo training never taught her _this._

"It is in days like this when I miss my mother the most," Kaoru confessed to the babbling boy at her back.

Kenshin continued his babbling unfazed by her confession and Kaoru smiled happily. The red-headed baby was a dear. She has been with him for two weeks now and he was nothing but pacific. She had been afraid at first. She hardly wanted a problem with Lady Uno because Kenshin demanded much of her time, but to her utter luck, he didn't. He was happy as long as he had his little toy and was half-happy as long as he had his fingers to chew on.

Thanks the gods for this well behaved child!

These first three days at the inn had passed like a flash. She woke up, bathed and went on to help down the kitchen…for the first day then was sent to dust the common areas. Traffic was smooth and well mannered, and strangely she had taken a like to her new job. Adults often complained about their jobs and their meager pay…Kaoru didn't need anything else right now. She had a decent job, room and food…and a meager pay, but hey, that pay was merely for her personal items. She was grateful she had all she needed to sustain herself and her new ward.

"Kaoru!" a co-worker called from inside the balcony of the inn in the second floor. Kaoru turned to the woman and waved a greeting with a big smile, "Lady Uno is taking everyone to the kitchen, a big group arrived!"

"Got it!" replied the young teenager and after taking the basket with the doubled sheets, giving a last glance to the remaining ones and giving the sky a last check-over, blue, moved inside with a curious smile, "I wonder how big this group really is, ne Kenshin?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Dec2010-Frenzy**_

**Title: Under the Mibu's radar  
Author: JeniNeji**  
Prompt: peace  
Rating: T  
**Summary: **The big group…wasn't just any group

* * *

Kaoru's hands trembled as she poured the tea. It was hardly noticeable, but for the skilled eyes of samurai warriors…it was easy to see. The young blue-eyed girl didn't know if she should be grateful or nervous about not having Kenshin with her. Lady Uno had set up a younger servant to care for the infant boy. That wasn't a problem, in fact, was a big help…but Kaoru felt jumpy without her ward. Still, showing up with a child was definitely a bad idea, much more with a group such as this.

"Girl," a rough voice called all of a sudden making Kaoru jump, "why are you so nervous? Are you hiding something?"

Kaoru paled at the implications of the man's words and she turned wide blue-eyes towards the samurai, "No…no, I'm sorry…I'm just new…is all…"

The room suddenly became silent and Kaoru felt her heart stop. Every samurai eye was on her and she felt like merchandize. It was hard enough to be stared at by ten men, but it was worst when some of those eyes scrutinized her further than politely required.

"New?" a man asked softly but with a disapproving edge.

"Yes my Lord" quickly came in Lady Uno's voice. Her dark brown eyes locked on the amber eyed man and she smiled politely, "Worry not about your affairs my Lord, she is being well-trained."

The man turned amber eyes towards the woman and shook his head making his long black ponytail fly. He then moved to his tea and slowly the peace returned to the room.

Kaoru watched with awed eyes as the man's aura suddenly engulfed the room as if in a silent order. _This man is powerful, _her mind supplied. However, she failed to realize just how much and unfortunately the man noticed her own aura spike in her awed distraction and he narrowed his amber eyes dangerously. Kaoru's air hitched in her lungs in a tense moment but after a few seconds the man ignored her and turned to chat to his young companion at his side.

_So dangerous. _


	4. Chapter 4

_**Dec2010- Frenzy *Peace**_

**Title: Either way  
Author: JeniNeji**  
Prompt: peace  
Rating: T  
**Summary**: After the party…Kaoru's fate is sealed

* * *

Kaoru collected the remaining trays out of the low table of the big room. She did this silently, her mind and heart in the task while Lady Uno sat in the corner of the room and held a sleeping Kenshin.

"That was the Mibu Wolf," said Uno softly. Her brown eyes held a far away kindness as she gazed down at the red mane of hair. "They are the Shinsengumi."

Kaoru stood and cautiously balanced the four trays in her arms, "Shinsengumi?"

A soft smile graced Uno's face, "Hn, I knew Tokyo is supposedly living peacefully…I never knew it was this much."

Kaoru half-shrugged her shoulders and offered some of the trays to another girl, who took two of them, and then moved to the shogi door to take the trays to the kitchens, "My father kept in touch with the situation in Kyoto…I didn't follow as loyally."

"Kyoto is a bloody place, the middle of the war were opposing parties challenge each other all the time. We serve every party freely. It will do you some good to recognize each side of the war. It would be unpleasant to get them mixed up…or much worse, let some gossip slip between parties. Some women had dared to work for one or the other…they either end up dead…or fired, none enjoyable for you in your current circumstances."

"I understand Lady Uno…and honestly, I don't really care about all this mess…I will just ignore the situation," Kaoru said with a second shrug on her shoulder and a big satisfied smile as she walked out of the room and to the kitchen.

"That is where you are wrong Kaoru," whispered Uno softly, "it doesn't matter if one wants to be involved or not…everyone gets involved one way or the other."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Dec2010- Santa Claus**_  
**Title:** Dressing Up  
**Author:** MissGoalie75  
**Theme:** Santa Claus  
**Rating:** T  
**Words:** 431  
**Summary:** A debate on who doesn't get to dress up as Santa Claus, but it takes an interesting turn…

* * *

"Okay, someone's gotta be Santa Claus."

Sano, Kenshin, Aoshi, Akira, and Soujiro stand in silence.

"But…none of us are fat…" Soujiro points out.

"Yeah, but come on. We all know Yahiko is going to stay up to get a _glimpse_ of Saint Nick," Sano replies.

"Well, take me out of the equation," Kenshin tells them. "I'm the skinniest of you lot and my hair won't stay under that hat."

"I don't know why I'm part of this discussion," Aoshi merely states because everyone knows that Aoshi doesn't dress up.

"Fine, so it's between Sano, Akira, and Soujiro," Kenshin exclaims with a smile, now relieved that he won't be wearing the red suit.

"I'm going to propose to Tomoe today," Akira blurts.

Everyone turns to look at him. "What? I thought you were doing it after New Year's!" Sano retorts.

"Yeah…well…no day but today, right?"

Kenshin rolls his eyes.

"So…yeah. I can't do it. Because I'll be proposing. And…well…we won't want to be disturbed this evening."

Sano snorts.

"Okay, so it's…Sano or me," Soujiro says dejectedly because he knows who it's going to be.

Sano slaps Soujiro on the back. "Thanks, buddy."

"Yeah, yeah," Soujiro mutters along with some colorful language.

"I'll bake the cookies," Kenshin offers.

"Wait…Kenshin's going to bake the cookies?" Akira inquires.

"I thought we were leaving them to the kids!" Sano whines.

"Yeah, well, frankly, I don't trust your nephew around the kitchen. Besides, I'll end up doing all the work anyway. Thus, I'm baking the cookies for _Santa_."

"Wait, I want to be Santa if Kenshin's making the cookies!" Akira says.

"I thought you were proposing to your girlfriend tonight?" Aoshi points out with a raised eyebrow.

"Fuck that, I want Kenshin's cookies! She can wait until next year!"

"Too bad. I'm already Santa," Soujiro says, now grinning.

"Sorry, guys, but fuck you all. _I'm_ being Santa and _that's final_," Sano states, trying to make himself look intimidating.

"You practically _bullied_ me into being Santa two minutes ago!" Soujiro retorts.

"Boys, what the _hell_ are you fighting about?" Kaoru asks, poking her head out of the kitchen.

Kenshin sighs. "Nothing. We were fighting over who wasn't going to be Santa and now suddenly _everyone_ wants to be Santa."

"Why?"

"Kenshin's _baking the cookies_," Sano explains when they see her confused expression.

She raises her eyebrows. "Excuse me, but _I'm_ now going to be Santa."

"You can't! You're a girl!"

"And if there's anymore fighting about this, then I will claim you all to be sexist pigs!"

Kenshin slaps his forehead. This isn't going to end anytime soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **The Strenuous Search for the Perfect Gift  
**Author:** MissGoalie75  
**Theme:** Gift  
**Rating:** T/M? Somewhere in between.  
**Words:** 448  
**Summary: **Kaoru's is having some difficulty in searching for Kenshin's holiday gift.

* * *

"Do you know what you're getting Kenshin?"

Kaoru shrugs. "Not really. It's just so _hard_ to get him something because whenever he wants something, he just _buys it himself_. All year round. It's the worst."

"Aoshi's kind of the same. Except he never wants anything, ever. So it's even worse."

Kaoru laughs and shakes her head.

"Why don't you do some lingerie or something?"

"I did that last year. There's only so many times you can pull the 'unwrap me' card without it seeming slutty."

"But he'll always appreciate it," Misao points out.

Kaoru scoffs. "Of course he will. He has a cock. Now help me come up with a gift that's not in the realm of NC-17."

"Fine, fine."

"Okay, I'm sorry, Kaoru, but you're royally fucked. We've been at the mall for almost _four hours_ and we couldn't find anything."

"What about the reindeer socks? I think they're cute in an ugly way."

"Like I said: we couldn't find anything."

Kaoru sighs. "I know. Let's just go to Victoria's Secret and pick out something, then."

"Or why don't you just_ ask_ him what he wants."

Kaoru murmurs something indistinct as she pulls out her cell phone and dials Kenshin's number.

"_Hello, darling._"

"Alright, what the _fuck_ do you want for Christmas? And if you say _nothing_, or any variation of that such as, _I don't need anything, dear, I have you_, I will purposefully withhold sex from you until the New Year. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"_I want fuzzy socks!_" he practically screams into the phone.

She cocks her head to the side. "Huh? You want _what_?"

"_It was the first thing that popped into my head. Probably because my feet are really cold right now._"

She rolls her eyes. "I'll take it a step further. How do slippers sound?"

"_Warm._"

"Okay. Good. Thank you."

"_You're welcome…we can still have sex, right?_"

"Yeah, yeah. See you at home."

She hangs up the phone. "Mission accomplished!" she exclaims with a fist pump into the air.

"Who'd of thought that your hideous reindeer socks would actually be on the right track?"

"Yeah, well, it's because we're soulmates and all that crap. We have a _connection_. Now, let's go and buy some equally horrendous slippers."

"You're cruel."

"Yeah, well, he won't think so since he'll secretly love them with all his heart. I know how his brain operates," she explains as she starts heading towards…

"…And you definitely plan on seducing him afterwards," Misao finishes for her as they stand in front of Victoria's Secret.

"Hey, this time of the year is all about giving gifts that will make people happy. Why change something that works?"


	7. Chapter 7

_**Dec2010| Gift**_

Title: Move on

Author: JeniNeji

Prompt: Gift

Summary: Time passes and both Kaoru and Kenshin have to grow

* * *

Kaoru was working hard. It was what she had to do, for her and for her charge. Kenshin was now able to walk, if only a little. He had started to "wake up" to the world. He turned out to be a very curious and helpful child.

His gifted red hair was a hit all around Kyoto. If this was good or bad, she wasn't sure. She wanted to maintain a low profile, tried, but because of her Kenshin was so adorable…she had no choice. All and all, she was fine, happy and provided.

She had learned the hard way that in Kyoto things were as easy as she had first thought. Her no worry no mind rumors tactics didn't work at all. The samurais barged into their hotel in search of good food, a good laugh and a good place to relax. As time passed she began to hear the murmurs and listen to the jokes out of boredom and it stung her heart to search such vile people. The way they described the gruesome way in which they tortured and killed their victims. It didn't only go against her moral and martial artist code, but also attacked her feminine taste.

"One-san," Kenshin's childish tone stopped her from chopping vegetables and gazed down and at his violet eyes. He beamed instantly and hurried to point to her knife.

Kaoru shook her head and sighed. With a smile, born of good humor and a spoon of love, she passed down a ring of onion to her small ward, "And no more," she stated finally.

Kenshin cried out in glee and ran out of the kitchen bumping accidentally with one of the maids and falling down on his rear. The woman fuzzed over the child but after seeing the wide goofy smile moved on with her chores. Kenshin turned back to her a final time, munching on his food happily and waved her good-bye.

Kaoru waved back with her knife and returned to her job. She shook her head again to clear it of the happy feeling and returned to her duty. As she went on her mind slipped by other thoughts and she felt her heart clench with nervousness. Saitou-san's group was starting to come less and less this last weeks and she had overheard come rumors about a new group trying to take command. They were the Imperialist. She was guessing, if things went on as they have, that she was about to meet a new group of samurai and …wasn't eager at all about it.


	8. Chapter 8

_**December 2010: Decorations **_  
Title: Of Tea and Unexpected Encounters  
Author: nooziewoozie  
Rating: PG, I think. I hesitate to say PG-13, because really, it's just one tiny word.  
Summary: "Every year, when Christmas season hits the country like a sack of Santa's gifts hard enough to concuss, Kaoru loses her characteristic good cheer and turns into a grump."  
Characters/Pairings: Kenshin and Kaoru, pre-relationship.

* * *

Notes: Hi everyone! *waves like a crazy person* I come bearing fic! I haven't had the urge to write RK fic in a good long while, so I was pretty sure I was done with this fandom. And then I came home from college and re-read the manga and the rest, as they say, is history. I hope you enjoy the fic!

* * *

It happens every year. All it really takes is the first Christmas song on the radio on her way to work, or her obnoxious neighbor's obnoxious yard decorations—replete with light-up reindeer and shiny-cheeked elves, Kaoru thinks with a sneer—or the incessant good cheer and good will that permeates even the dourest of souls, from the foul-mouthed janitor that swabs the fourth floor to the old crone of a secretary who everyone fears because she's the one who runs the place.

Every year, when Christmas season hits the country like a sack of Santa's gifts hard enough to concuss, Kaoru loses her characteristic good cheer and turns into a grump.

It's not really a mystery, Kaoru thinks, as she stomps up the driveway to her small colonial townhouse, why she hates Christmas so much. She juggles her dinner—take-out Chinese, the best in town, but she'll be cursing herself in a few years when her hips rebel, just watch—with her bag as she unlocks the door. She'd loved Christmas as a child, as any normal child should.

Of course, that's when Daddy and Mommy were around, a small voice whispers in her head, and they stuffed your stockings with oranges and Daddy lifted you up on his shoulders so you could put the star up on the tree, never mind that it was cardboard and made of glitter and macaroni, you'd made it in art class and Mommy thought it was darling. But Daddy has been dead five years, and Mommy long before that, and it's been so long since her house has been full of people and cheer and the delicious smells of pies drifting out of the kitchen—

Kaoru viciously stomps on her line of thought as she shrugs her coat off and heads into her room to change. She doesn't want to feel sorry for herself—doesn't want to wallow in this melancholy funk that feels like compressed tears, because Daddy taught her better than that. She is strong, she is resilient, she is—

So damn lonely. She sighs. She'll go to Mr. Maekawa's Christmas party tomorrow evening, and then she'll spend another evening window-shopping with Tae, maybe, but that's it, just her and Chinese take-out and years-old specials blaring on the TV all night long.

So, instead of despondent, Kaoru decides to get grumpy. She's take-charge like that, not one to just wallow in unwelcome angst. So she eschews decorations and the only concession she makes to the holiday season is a dilapidated plastic tree she's plunked down in the corner of the living room. She gets gifts for her colleagues and friends, little ones, and buys what she needs on sale, because hey, she's not exactly rolling in money here, so why not?

She's just sitting down for dinner in her over-sized sweats and slippers that resemble fuzzy pink sheep, when the doorbell rings. She grumbles all the way to the door, and opens it onto a lump with red hair.

"Oh," she says, momentarily surprised out of her mood, "You're uh—you're—"

"Your new neighbor," he responds, shoving a scarf off his mouth with a be-mitten-ed hand and grinning. His cheeks, already red from the cold, turn into half-moons. "Kenshin Himura? I moved into the next unit a week ago."

"Oh, yes," she says, remembering his name at last. She's only ever caught glimpses of this man, and she has seen enough to gather that he's extremely handsome, if a bit effete. Which begs the question—what is he doing on her doorstep?

He coughs a bit delicately, and holds out a small bag. "Cookies," he says at her questioning glance. "Double chocolate chip. I was baking today and made too many, and I thought, it is the season to be jolly and spread good cheer, right? I hope you don't mind."

Kaoru watches as his grin widens into a full-fledged smile, and feels her heart catch a bit, both at the twinkle in his eyes and the cookies. She smiles back, and takes the bag.

"Thank you, Mr. Himura," she replies with an impish smile of her own, "I don't mind at all. Please, if you ever have a surplus of cookies ever again, come find me."

"Of course," he says, "And I'd best get going, you're letting the cold in at this rate—"

"Would you like to—?" she says, and then checks herself. Stupid, she thinks. He could have family to spend his time with, stupid, stupid, stupid.

He stops in mid-turn. "Yes?" he asks, eyebrows raised.

She clears her throat. Too late to back out now. "I mean, would you like to come in for some tea? We can share the cookies."

The smile, so wide and so open, the one that made her heart skip a beat, appears on his face again. "If you don't mind," he says.

"Oh, not at all," Kaoru says. Something inside her is relaxing, something she didn't even know was tensed. Someone to talk to, to share easy conversation with, to fill her empty home with voices—it all sounds so wonderful.

So she steps back and lets Kenshin Himura in.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Dec2010- Snow**_

**Title: Abandon  
Author: JeniNeji**  
Prompt: snow  
Rating: T  
Summary: Kyoto could be a very dangerous place for those who forgot just how dangerous it really was.

* * *

It was snowing outside, but Kaoru couldn't find fault in the white display. Her young red-headed charge ran happily at her side and from time to time would take a handful of snow. He was very pleased with the weather, while she was pleased that he had agreed to wear the pink scarf without much fuss. She wouldn't have him getting sick again, besides, it was he who lost his blue scarf.

"Onee-san!" Kenshin called with joy, "Are you done buying groceries yet?"

"Eh, no, not yet Kenshin," Kaoru replied absent mindedly as she continued to shop.

"Yes," exclaimed Kenshin and he ran a little farther away from her and dropped to the floor with a wide smile. He decided to take the extra time to make his shape into the snow. Everyone would know he had passed through.

Kaoru smiled at the child and shook her head and added a roll of her eyes. The woman at the shop beamed at the child as well. They knew children's antics well. After a few minutes Kaoru paid and thanked the woman for everything.

Kenshin hurried after Kaoru when she moved away from the shop. His bright hair made a few turn their head in his direction and added shy smiles to some young females. He was a very special child. "Onee-san," Kenshin called Kaoru and lightly held her hand as he walked at her side, "Will I receive presents this time again?"

Kaoru smiled. Lady Uno, the inn's manager, had adopted a few occidental traditions along her life and always made a small reunion and an exchange of presents in winter. It was a nice way to celebrate the year and recall the funniest events and joke around. She was very pleased with the place she worked at and had worked at for the last four years. She was now nineteen and still alive in bloody Kyoto. That was a feat, "Of course Kenshin, you know Lady Uno loves to give you presents."

Kenshin was about to retort but was pushed into silence when Kaoru grabbed his hand tightly. The child turned his violet eyes to his surroundings, nervousness palpable in his young eyes.

Kaoru tugged at his hands softly with a smile upon her lips, "Let's keep going Kenshin."

Kenshin nodded and walked at Kaoru's side, but he was eerie silent. He knew there was something wrong; Kaoru always did things like these when there was something wrong.

They continued to walk in silence. The roads of Kyoto were far from lonely. It was getting late, but it wasn't that late. Many customers continued to bombard the shops and children played around. Kenshin knew when it was becoming late. It was late when the pretty ladies with white faces and beautiful kimono roamed the roads. He had seen none today.

"Kenshin, can you hold these for me?" asked Kaoru with a smile. He knew her smile was real, but he also knew the smile didn't go to her eyes. She was still checking for something.

He nodded and grabbed two paper bags from and was forced to release his hold on her hands. She made up for it by placing her hand upon his shoulders and guiding him by her. He couldn't help but get scared. He just wanted to go home and get away from whatever was scaring his sister. He knew they were close by; it was just a little further.

As they rounded a corner, Kenshin felt himself being pulled harshly by Kaoru. He gasped in alarm and cried out when he saw a hand covering Kaoru's mouth and another arm snaking over her chest and pulling her into a hole though the wall.

Kenshin froze in place. He didn't know if he should follow Kaoru and make sure she was all right or run to the inn and ask for help. He didn't have to choose.

"Shh, I will not hurt you," a voice, dark and male whispered, "come in child, someone will see you."

Kenshin shivered in fright but obeyed the man none the less and hurried through the crack on the wall. His purpled eyes leveled up to look upon the man that was holding Kaoru. He couldn't see his face very well, but he knew the clothes he wore. It had the colors of the Shinsengumi.

"Now, I will release you, and you won't scream," the man warned and Kaoru nodded her head. To be honest she was furious she hadn't reacted in time to prevent this. She had better training than this, but sadly, she had slacked on her training for years. The repercussions were starting to show off; she had become weak in her stay in bloody Kyoto. A fatal mistake.

"You will give this letter to Lady Uno," stated the samurai with a serious expression while he handed Kaoru the white envelope. Kaoru looked up at him and recognition washed over her face. She knew who this was, "It is you."

The young man, of fifteen or so smiled back at her. "Long time no see," he acknowledged cordially, "It seems time has been kind to you. You haven't changed at all while I have changed so much."

Kaoru smiled a forced smile. He wasn't the first one to point out the strange occurrence. However, she couldn't deny the truth behind his words. She met him when he was but a child clinging to Hajime Saitou back at the inn. Now, he was a proud and seemingly deadly swordsman. _Okita_, was his name.

"I'm sorry for the rough encounter, but the place is very dangerous for us at the moment. We can't allow any slips because it could very well be the last. Please, ensure the letter arrives to Lady Uno safely," the young boy pleaded and bowed his head.

Kaoru nodded and after a polite smile, Okita mingled with the crowd outside and disappeared.

Kenshin moved a little closer to Kaoru and rested his head against her leg, seeking comfort, "You are all right."

"Luckily," replied Kaoru. She knew it had been luck, had he been someone else she would either be dead…or worse, "Kenshin, please, next time go running to the inn instead of listening to my attacker, ne?"

Kenshin pouted guiltily but nodded his head fervently. After that, he once again took her hand and slowly made his way to the inn, guiding Kaoru along the way.


End file.
